Police service / Provincial Offences Court letter explained in English

Police and traffic court. Police write tickets for traffic and other provincial offences. The provincial offences court handles payments, disputes and trials.

Letters you may get

• Offence notice or violation ticket — a traffic fine
• Notice of trial — the date of your court hearing
• Notice of fine and due date — you were convicted and must pay by the date

What to do

• You usually have only a short time to pay or dispute — for example 15 days in Ontario or 30 days in British Columbia. Check the back of the ticket.
• If you do nothing, you can be convicted without a hearing, and demerit points may go on your driving record.
• Find the deadline. Look for “deadline”, “pay by”, “due date”, “within”, “no later than”.
• Write the reference number from the letter on everything you send back, and keep copies.
• If you disagree with a decision, object in writing before the deadline (“notice of objection”, “request for reconsideration”, “appeal”, “objection”, “review”, “dispute”). See the template.

Words you may see

provincial offence

Breaking a provincial law, like most traffic rules. It does not give you a criminal record.

demerit points

Points added to your driving record for some traffic offences. Too many points can lead to a warning, a meeting or a suspended licence.

Questions

What is the Police service / Provincial Offences Court?

Police and traffic court. Police write tickets for traffic and other provincial offences. The provincial offences court handles payments, disputes and trials.

How long do I have to answer a letter from the Police service / Provincial Offences Court?

It depends on the letter. Look for words like “deadline”, “pay by”, “due date”, “within”, “no later than” — they mark the deadline. In Canada, many deadlines count from the date printed on the letter, not from the day it arrives — for example, the 90 days to object to a tax notice. Mail can take several days, so check the date on the letter and act early. To object, the letter usually names the way to do it (“notice of objection”, “request for reconsideration”, “appeal”, “objection”, “review”, “dispute”).

Can I read a Police service / Provincial Offences Court letter in English?

Yes. Take a photo of the letter with Briefly. It explains the letter in plain English, finds the deadline and the amount, and gives you ready-made replies in English. Your letter never leaves your device.

Other offices in Canada

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) · Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) · Service Canada · Provincial health plan (OHIP, MSP, AHCIP …) · Ministry of Finance / Revenue (your province) · ServiceOntario / ICBC / registry office · City or town — property tax department · City bylaw enforcement / parking